Pan fried chicken taste like pan?

I just got some canned chicken and fried it with a little water I.e. pan fried without oil and just adding little bits of water as I go.

The chicken tasted like the metal pan itself if you know what I mean? Why did this happen and how can it be avoided?

Best Answer

I suspect that's what going on is this:

There is an metallic flavor in the canned meat
Browning the meat either reduces that flavor, or masks it with other flavors

Steaming, poaching, or other water-based cooking method isn't going to allow it to come to a sufficient temperature to brown it. Grilling or frying (in oil) will cause the Maillard reaction (protein browning) which creates new chemical compounds.

If you have a microwave, try heating up a slice in there, as I suspect that it'll still taste metallic. If you don't have a microwave, you could try steaming it, or just sampling it at room temperature.